Edge-binding machine



Oct. 3, 1939. w s E T 2,175,050

EDGE-BINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 3, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l InvenTor. WorThmgTon S. Bepsset'r ATTys.

Oct; 3, 1939.

W. S. BESSETT EDGE-BINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 3,- 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 \hvenToTt WorTh'mgTonS. BesseTT WWW$W A T Tys.

Oct. 3, 1939. w. s. BESSETT 2,175,050

EDGE-BINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 3, 1937 Mum} Y lnvenfor. Wor'fhingTon SBesseTT byMWAQW ATTys.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I passes therethrough without contact of its Patented Oct. 3, 1939 OFFICE 2,175,0i5cff EDGE-BINDING, MACHINE. V,

Worthington s. Bessett, LyiniQMasa; assignor to W. S. Bessett, Inc., Lynrnlylass a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 3, :lg iflalscliiallnol.172,553

5 Claims. (Ql. l2

I'his invention relates to a machine for applying an adhesive-coated binding tape to the edge of .a flat article, such, for example, as the insole of a shoe.

Womens shoes have recently beenrnade very extensively in the form of sandals or with open or skeleton-iced uppers leaving exposed to view more or less extensive portions of theedge of the insole. Insoles usually have an edge which cannot Ice-finished or can only be finished with diificulty and at considerable expense, to present a finished appearance and consequently it is necessaryto-bind these edges with a material which will present a finished and pleasing appearance. The present invention is particularly useful in providing amachine which-operatesto apply enicientlyand economical-1y a binding tape to the edge of theinsole in which the tape presents on one side a suitable appearance, -for example, be- 20 ing provided "with a finishing coating such, for instance as pyroxylin of the required color and presents on the other side a suitable adhesive coating.

An important object of the invention is in such amachine to provide a binder which will act to fold the tape into'the shape required for applying it to the edge of the material so that it will'surround the edge and the adjacent surfaces of the article to be bound with-the adhesive coated sur- "face presented thereto and in Which the adhesive surface of the tape will-be untouched by the hinder during its'passage therethrough. This is an important feature because the adhesive coated surface of the, tape must be-in a tacky condition "before it reaches binding position and if this tacky surface anywhere engages the binder, the tacky condition of the surface will be injured and any portion of the binder with which it comes in contact will 'be gummed up, further increasing the difiiculty and the entire operation of the machine would be highly inefficient, if not impossible.

The invention has for its further object to provide a binder element in which the tape not only adhesive-coated surfacetherewith but in which the tape is-accurately guided and also may be readily and easily threaded or positioned in the binder. Theadhesivecoating-ofthe tape,.in the broaderaspects oi-the -invention,.may.be of any wellknown or suitable character and material. In any case, this adhesive coating before it reaches its point ofapplication must be conditioned or brought into proper degree of 'adhesiveness so 555 that it will properly. adhere .to the articleto be xbounduwhen-applied.thereto or pressed thereon. ,Suchan adhesive coating may be, for example, ofnoneof the Well-known rubber cements and in this case the conditioning would be effected well before the tape reaches the binder by progressive application thereto of a suitable solvent properly -to..condition. the adhesive coating. In the case, for example, of an adhesive coating formed of a .yinolresinorresins, the conditioning would also the effected wellbefore the tape reaches the binder 10 by. progressive application of heat, as by an .elecstricheater, to the coated surface or to the tape properly to :.condition the adhesive coating. In ethecase hereinafter more particularly described, itheadhesive coating .of the tape is a gutta-percha compound and it is.conditioned at a point well l'loeiore' the tape reaches the binder by progressively forcing hot air against the coating to bring it into :therequired condition. In any case, however, the conditioning of the adhesive coating '20 takes placewell beiorethe tape reaches the hinder, thus giving the wcoatingsufiicient time partially -to. set or.reach just the required tacky condition necessary for most efficient application when it reaches Lthe .article to be bound. 25

A further objector the invention is to provide, in the case of an adhesive coating such as that of a gutta-percha compound, where the conditioningis effected by hot air or other hot, gaseous fluid, aneflicient means for forcing the hot, 0 gaseousfluid under pressure against the adhesive coating. -The -employrnent of pressure for this purpos'eenables-the means for supplying the hot, "gaseous fluid to operate at a much slower speed than if a fanorother means were employed and 35 insu-r'esa steady supply of heat to the coating.

- These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will -be ip art 'i 'cularly pointed-out in the claims. 40 Th-e drawings illustratea preferred form of the invention as embodied in a machine for applying an adhesive-coated tape of the character of ia'g'utt'a-percha compound to the binding of the ;edge' and-imme'diately adjacent surfaces of an insole for shoes,

' In thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view. of the machine.

. Fig; 2.. is 3,.l sideelevation.

Fig. 3 is .a.detail .in side elevation of that por- 5 .tion 10f the ,machine where the binding takes irp -i. I

,;'Fig-. 14-. is a frontelevation of the construction ehQ nJnEis-B- Fig. 51$ atop; planyiew of'the binder or binding element removed from the machine with the tape indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of a portion of the bound insole.

Fig. '7 is a detail partially in vertical cross section of the nozzle.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation illustrating a second form of mechanism for driving the machine.

The machineas illustrated is provided with a base, preferably formed of a single casting, comprising a bed or bottom plate I, upstanding flanges 2 and 3 at the sides, and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined flange 4 at the front united with the side flanges.

The tape is fed through the machine and applied to the insole or other article and the article advanced by a pair of positively driven pressure feed rolls such as are well known in the art and need no particular description. The lower feed roll 5 is carried by a shaft mounted on a standard 6 projecting from the flange 2. This shaft at the right is also journalled in a boss projecting in from the flange 3 and is provided at its end with a gear 1. The upper feed roll 8 is carried by a shaft 9 journalled in a head iii mounted for vertical movement in the standard 3. This head I is guided by a sleeve H extending downward therefrom into the standard 1: and by a dowel pin [2 also extending from the head into the standard. The head is yieldingly pressed downward by a spring, not shown, the force of which is adjustable by means of the set screw l3. The head It] is raised to separate the feed rolls by any suitable means such as the lever M fulcrumed at IS on the side flange 2, extending at its front end beneath the bottom of the sleeve I I and at its rear end provided with a connection l6 extending down to a treadle or other suitable operating means.

To allow for the driving of the upper feed roll 8, notwithstanding its variation in vertical position, the shaft 9 on which it is carried is connected by a universal connection to the shaft l1 journalled in the boss I8 projecting from the flange 3. Such a connection is shown as a rod l9 carrying at its ends transverse pins 20 engaging transverse slots in the ends of the shafts 9 and H. The shaft I! at its outer end carries the gear 2i meshing with the gear 1 so that the two shafts rotate together in opposite directions as required by the usual feeding operation.

The feed rolls are shown as driven from a large gear 22 mounted on a shaft 23 and journalled in a projection from the flange 3. This shaft 23 carries a pinion 24 meshing with the gear I. The gear 22 itself is driven by suitable means, two alternative forms of which will later be described.

The adhesive-coated tape 25 is Wound upon a spool or reel 250 journalled on a shaft 26 between a pair of friction or tension plates 21 and 21!]. These plates are pressed against the spool or reel to give the necessary retarding friction by means of a spring 30 mounted on the shaft 26 between the plate 21 and a collar 3| adjustably secured to the shaft. The shaft 26 projects laterally from a bracket 28 projecting rearwardly from and secured at its base 29 to the main bed plate I of the machine.

The tape leads forward in a horizontal path beneath a suitable guide roller 32 projecting from the periphery of the plate 210 toward the front of the machine, turns into a vertical path and passesaround a vertical guide pin 33 extending upward from the upper edge of the inclined flange 4. The finished or non-adhesive surface of the tape runs against the roller 32 and against the surface of the guide pin 33 and the tape in the construction shown conveniently passes between the feed roll shafts. From the guide pin 33 the tape passes to the binder.

The character and function of the binder are illustrated particularly in Figs. 3, 4, and The binder is provided with a shank 35 by means of which it is mounted as by the set screw 36 on the front of the top of the standard 6 to position it properly with relation to the feed rolls. The binder essentially comprises an exposed, longitudinal, convex guide 31. This is conveniently a solid block secured to or forming a part of the shank and extends parallel with the axes of the feed rolls. The convex surface of this guide is preferably substantially equal to the width of the tape. A longitudinal edge guide extends at the base of the convex guide and preferably there are two such guides, being the vertical flat surfaces 38 and 39 extending respectively upward and downward at the base of the convex guide 31. Flanges 40 and 4| project forward above the longitudinal edge guides and are flared away from the convex guide at their right-hand ends. The tape is placed in this portion of the binder with its non-adhesive surface against the convex guide and with its edge against the longitudinal edge guide or, if there are two such longitudinal edge guides, then with the respective edges in engagement therewith. While the edge guides thus act by engagement with the edges of the tape to maintain it properly positioned in the binder, one or the other of the flanges 40 and 4| will act to force the tape back into position if the tape for any reason slips sidewise.

It will be seen that the convex guide is an exposed guide. That is, there is nothing between it and the adhesive-coated surface of the tape and as the flanges 40 and 4| are properly flared, the adhesive surface of the tape as the tape is in position over the convex guide is imtouched. This convex guide acts, as the tape is drawn therepast, to bow the tape longitudinally. The binder further is provided with an exposed concave recess 42 in the end of the convex guide and extending substantially at right angles thereto and directly toward the feed rolls. As the tape, therefore, is drawn by the feed rolls back from the binder, the bow of the tape is reversed and the tape is presented with the adhesivecoated side inside the bow and in position for surrounding the edge and adjacent surfaces of the insole or other article to be bound. Furthermore, it will be seen that the adhesive-coated surface of the tape in its entire passage through the binder, and, in fact, in its entire travel from the time it leaves the reel until it reaches the point of application to the article required to be bound, is uninjured by anything and, in particular, nowhere contacts with the binder. The tape, as it moves in bowed form from the binder, passes between the feed rolls which are mounted in alignment with the tape as it leaves the binder and these rolls act to draw the tape through the binder and progressively press the tape into binding engagement with the article and advance the bound edge of the article.

As already pointed out, the conditioning of the adhesive coating of the tape is effected at a point well beforethetape reaches the binder so 76 that whatever may be thecharacter of adhesive employed, it may be properly conditioned so that it reaches the point of application in the most efficient condition for adhesion. In the case of a gutta-percha compound, or other thermoplastic adhesive, a hot, gaseous fluid such as hot air is most effective in conditioning the adhesive surface, but a certain time must elapse between the application of the heat and the application of the adhesive tape to the article to be bound in order to obtain the bestresults. Furthermore, the hot gas or air must be applied uniformly and with best results by relatively slow, steady pressure. All these results are secured in the present invention.

In the constructionillustrated, a cylindrical casing 43 projects inwardly from the flange 3 and is provided with end plates 44 clamped to the cylinder ends by bolts 45. I he interior of this casing presents a cylindrical chamber. A cylindrical rotor 46 is mounted within the cylindrical chamber and carried by a shaft 41 eccentric to the axis of the cylindrical chamber and journalleol in the head plates 44. This rotor is driven by means later described. The eccentricity is such that the periphery of the rotor is in close proximity to the cylindrical chamber at one side. A plurality of blades 48 extends the entire length of the chamber parallel with its axis and each is mounted for sliding movement in the rotor and yiel-dingly pressed as by the spring 49 into engagement with the cylindrical wall of the chamber.

A port 58 connected to a suitable supply of gaseous fluid opens into the chamber at a convenient point, as through a recess in the face of one of the end plates 44. When, as here, air is the gaseous fluid, the port is connected to a funnel-like device 5| provided with a sieve 52 and open to the atmosphere. A discharge port 53 opens from a recess in the face of the end plate 44 and thus from the chamber at a point where the space between the rotor and the cylindrical wall is near the minimum. This port 53 is connected to a nozzle, indicated generally at 54, facing the adhesive tape at a point soon after its passage from the reel. At least one of the blades 48 is always between the admission port 50 and the discharge port 53 so that gaseous fluid is prevented from passing directly across the chamber from one port to the other.

In the construction illustrated, the discharge port 53 opens into a pipe 55 secured to the end plate 4-4 and this pipe extends into a collar 56 supporting a cylinder 51 closed at its outer end 58. The nozzle 54 opens from a pipe 59 extending upward from a collar 60 on the cylinder 51 and both pipes 55 and 59 open through their respective collars into the interior of the cylinder 51. An electric heating element BI is plugged into the opposite end of the cylinder 51 and positioned to leave an annular space between it and an inner wall of the cylinder. This heating element has its terminals plugged at 62 into a switch box 63 secured in the inclined flange 4 of the machine. This switch box is provided with a telltale lamp 64 with a suitable switch 65 and the necessary current for operating the lamp and the heater is supplied by a cable 66 which may be connected to any suitable source.

It will thus be seen that when the current is turned on and the rotor is in operation, the blades act successively to compress the fluid supplied to the cylindrical chamber and force it out under pressure through the discharge port past the electric heating element where it is heated and thence passes tape.

'tially the entire area of the tape.

under pressure out through the nozzle against the adhesive coating of the tape. 7

A further important feature resides in the manner in whichthe heat'is applied to the tape to condition the coating by means of the nozzle. The preferred form of nozzle 54 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. This nozzle presents a flat bed 80 over and close to which the adhesive-coated face of the tape 25 passes and upstanding side walls 8| and 82 between and close to which the tape A guide pin :83 projecting inward from the forward end of the side wall 82 extends over the tape and insures the tape remaining parallel with the flat bed 80 .of the nozzle notwithstanding the twist the tape subsequently takes to engage the guide pin 33. The nozzle is secured in place on the upper end of the pipe 59 by a set screw 84. In the body of the nozzle immediately -above the end of the pipe 59 is formed a cavity 85 preferaloly flaring upwardly in conical form and extending nearly throughout the width of the Thus it will be seen that the tape as it passes through the nozzle is practically passing through a small oven with the hot air or gas brought into contact progressively with substan- Thus a very uniform heating or conditioning of the adhesive coating of the tape is secured with a minimum wastage of heat.

the supply of hot, gaseous fluid stops or changes therewith, thus maintaining the proper conditioning of the adhesive coating of the tape. Two constructions are illustrated for driving the machine. In Figs. 1 and 2, a pulley 61 driven from any suitable source of power, the starting and stopping of which and the variation of speed of which may be controlled in any usual manner, is carried by a shaft 68 journalled on the flange 3. This shaft carries a pinion 69 meshing with and driving the gear 22 and this gear 22 in turn meshes with, and consequently drives, a pinion 19 on the rotor shaft.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, a pulley H is mounted directly on the shaft of the rotor and this shaft carries a pinion l2 meshing with a large gear 13 corresponding with the gear 22 and driving the feed rolls in the same manner as already described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A binder for presenting adhesive-coated tape to an edge to be bound thereby comprising an exposed longitudinal convex guide with a longitudinal edge guide at its base acting, when the tape is drawn over the convex surface with its edge guided by said edge guide and with its non-adhesive side in contact with said surface, to bow the tape longitudinally, the entire space in front of the convex guide being open and unobstructed to leave the adhesive surface of the tape exposed throughout the convex surface of the guide, and an exposed concave recess in the end of the convex guide extending substantially at right angles thereto, the said recessed end acting, as the tape is drawn therethrough from the convex guide, to reverse the bow of the tape and present it in position for surrounding an edge and adjacent surfaces of an article with the adhesive surface untouched by the binder during its passage therethrough.

2. A binding machine for binding an edge with an adhesive-coated tape comprising a binder having an exposed longitudinal convex guide with a longitudinal edge guide at its base acting, when the tape is drawn over the convex surface with its edge guided by said edge guide and with its non-adhesive side in contact with said surface, to bow the tape longitudinally, an exposed concave recess in the end of the convex guide extending substantially at right angles thereto, the said recessed end acting, as the tape is drawn therethrough from the convex guide, to reverse the bow of the tape and present it in position for surrounding an edge and adjacent surfaces of an article with the adhesive surface untouched by the binder during its passage therethrough, and a pair of pressure feed rolls mounted in alignment with the tape as it leaves the binder acting to draw the tape through the binder, progressively press the tape into binding engagement with the article and advance the bound edge of the article.

3. A binding machine for binding an edge with an adhesive-coated tape comprising a support for a reel of tape, a binder acting to fold and present the tape with its adhesive side in binding position without-contact of the adhesive side with the binder, a pair of pressure feed rolls acting to draw the tape from the reel through the binder and apply it to the edge to be bound, and adhesive conditioning means acting upon the advhesive coating of the tape between the reel and the binder at a point suinciently remote from the binder to present the adhesive coating in required condition for application of the tape to the edge of the article to be bound when it reaches the point of application.

4. A binding machine for binding an edge with a tape coated with a thermoplastic adhesive comprising a support for a reel of tape, a binder acting to fold and present the tape with its adhesive side in binding position without contact of the adhesive side with the binder, a pair of pressure feed rolls acting to draw the tape from the reel through the binder and apply it to the edge to be bound, a nozzle and means operated by the binding machine acting to force a hot, gaseous fluid by pressure through the nozzle against the adhesive coating, the said nozzle being located between the reel and the binder at a point sufficiently remote from the binder to cause the adhesive coating rendered tacky by the hot, gaseous fluid to be presented in required condition for application of the tape to the edge of the article to be bound when it reaches the point of application.

5. A binding machine for binding an edge with a tape coated with a thermoplastic adhesive comprising a support for a reel of tape, a binder acting to fold and present the tape with its adhesive side in binding position without contact of the adhesive side with the binder, a pair of pressure feed rolls acting to draw the tape from the reel through the binder and apply it to the edge to be bound, a nozzle located between the reel and the binder and presenting a chamber open against the adhesive side of the tape, and means connected to the nozzle chamber and operated by the binding machine acting to force a hot, gaseous fluid by pressure into the nozzle chamber and thence against the adhesive side of the tape as it is drawn past the nozzle.

WORTHINGTON S. BESSETT. 

